Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did.So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. --- Mark Twain

Sunday, February 2, 2014

Still in Salta

Day 1079.
118,731 km since the beginning of the journey.
Salta, Argentina.

And at the moment it seems that at least until the next Monday. The positive side of the situation is that the city of Salta will become more familiar. While walking in the streets all kinds of vehicles from the seventies of the last century catch the eye.

Some are decent...
And others are looking worn out, but all of them are in use.

Graffiti is everywhere.

.
Salta Railway Station.

From here once a week the famous " Tren de Las Nubes " (Train to/of the clouds) goes to the Polvorilla viaduct, located in the mountains in the height of 4220 meters. Currently, there is no traffic in January and February because of the summer break. And the next departure will be on March 29.

The train offers meals onboard, translator services, and medical assistant for any passenger that may be affected by the lack of oxygen caused by the height. The trip lasts approximately sixteen hours, from seven am until midnight or later.
The train runs 217 km. and passes through 29 bridges, 21 tunnels, 13 viaducts, two spirals, and 2 zigzags.

The model of Polvorilla viaduct in the waiting room.

Polvorilla viaduct is accessible also by car, and according to the map bought in Salta - there are other minor roads next to the railway waiting for driving.

Next again- more technical issues.
I drove to the service, and by the agreed time the new driveshaft was welded together, as shown in the picture below.

The above driveshaft is old and the new one is below. " Made in Salta ". It should be fine and apparently is. The U-joints are of course different again, but at the moment this is the only solution.

The rear-side end has a bigger cross.

And the gearbox – sided one has a smaller item, but the main thing is that it would last.

And the dimensions were almost correct, yet the final touch, one spot has to be 4mm deeper.

Back to the campsite with the two driveshafts under my arm and then I drove back to the service again. Better to have a good inspection to find out what else is worn out and needs replacement. And it seemed that they were experienced and eager to look for and find out solutions.

When I was recommended to come here for the first time, with my broken driveshaft they offered a solution, instead of saying that – “don`t do” or “cannot be done”.

First of all, one of the front wheel bearing needed replacing.

Then the brakepad. With cracks. It was not an original, but a good and cheap chinese one, purchased in September 2011 from Tanzania, Iringa

Since the correct size was not available there, a larger one had to be bought and cut into suitable size. And it lasted for 88 thousand kilometers. That's not bad at all.

And the corners of the radiator were suspiciously damp and the radiator itself was from the year of 2010, and this is another example that the majority of the parts of the car, made last decade, do not last long.
I left the old radiator at the service and the new one was supposed to be ready by Monday evening.

And by Monday evening some parts were supposed to reach from Paraguay as they were missing in the trading system of this country. So this is life, something is manufactured in Argentina, but not for all kind of vehicles. But in the end everything will be arranged and begins to move.